I have no idea and haven’t heard anything about Alford, but my guess is they probbaly didn’t expect to get serious with Mack for another week or two. That process can begin now and see where each side stands.

C. Trent Rosecrans
‏Verified account @ctrent
Suarez terms $2M signing bonus $2.25M in first year then $7M, $9.25M, $10.5M, $11M, $11M, $11M then a club option for $15M with a $2M buyout. No PBs or escalators.

Source - Reds Agree To Extension With Suarez | Locked On MLB
Suarez, 26, has agreed to a 7-year deal guaranteeing him $66 million with an option that can bring the deal to $79 million over eight years, sources told Locked On MLB. The deal includes this season and covers his three arbitration years and four years of free agency. The 8th year option is worth $15 million with a $2-million buyout.

Pitchers get hurt. Most the time it's just bad luck. The Reds were right in the middle of the pack last year in injuries for pitchers. It just so happened it was a lot of starters that were very costly.